The Best & Worst Menu Items at Carrabba's, According to Dietitians

If you are a lover of Italian food, you have likely heard of Carrabba's Italian Grill. This chain of Italian food restaurants has the classics, like lasagne and calamari, and also offers steak, fish, and traditional desserts. Similar to most Italian restaurant dishes, you're likely not surprised to learn the flavorful menu also comes with high calorie counts. Luckily, there are also reasonable options on the Carrabba's menu for those looking to be mindful of their nutrition.

Pasta dishes are generally going to be higher in calories. Add fatty meat and creamy sauce, and you can easily find a pasta dish with over 1,000 calories. This doesn't mean you have to skip out on your favorite noodles, though. Instead, monitor your portion sizes and build a dish that is more calorie-conscious. You can do this by choosing lean proteins, like chicken and fish, and skipping creamy sauces, like alfredo, in favor of tomato-based options. And if pasta isn't your thing, go for an entrée with protein and vegetables for a filling meal.

Read on to learn about the healthiest and unhealthiest menu items you can find at Carrabba's, divided into main menu categories. Then, check out the 20 Best High-Protein Fast-Food Meals.

Appetizers

Best: Four Cheese & Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

The Four Cheese & Sausage Stuffed Mushroom appetizer is the lowest calorie option on the menu, yet still provides 14 grams of protein. At 320 calories, this could even be a low-carb entrée option. Split among the table for a low-calorie, flavorful bite that contains minimal added sugar and the lowest sodium content of all of the appetizers.

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Worst: Zucchini Fritte

You may be surprised to see a veggie-based option as the worst appetizer, but this Zucchini Fritte appetizer packs loads of calories and fat with little in return. Not to mention, the aioli it is served with contributes significant saturated fat, too. With minimal protein, enough carbohydrates for an entire meal, and more fat than most need in a day, you're better off skipping this app.

Salads & Soup

Best: Mama Mandola's Sicilian Chicken Soup

Mama Mandola's Soup is a great option for a starter, and it even makes a balanced entrée option. It contains plenty of protein, a few grams of fiber, minimal saturated fat, and a reasonable number of calories. The only kicker is the sodium content, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a low-sodium option at an Italian restaurant.

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Worst: Caesar Salad

The Caesar salad topped with chicken boasts nearly 900 calories at Carrabba's. Although it is a source of fiber and plenty of protein, romaine lettuce isn't the most nutrient-dense, and the amount of fat in this meal is enough for an entire day. Improve this dish by asking for the dressing on the side, and using less than half of it. You can also swap the chicken for shrimp to cut about 70 calories.

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Pasta

Best: Mezzaluna

The Mezzaluna Pasta consists of ravioli and chicken in a tomato sauce. Although 700 calories is a lot for a meal, it is one of the lowest calorie counts among the pasta options. It also has the lowest carb count while still providing 4 grams of fiber and plenty of protein to constitute a meal.

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Best: Vegetable Ravioli

Veggie-loaded dishes are usually a pretty safe bet at a restaurant, and the Veggie Ravioli is loaded with several kinds. Although it is a vegetarian option, it still contains 24 grams of protein and a more modest amount of fat than many other pasta options. Even better, it packs 7 grams of filling fiber!6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Worst: Fettuccine Weesie

The Fettuccine Weesie may be a popular dish, but it is one of the highest-calorie pasta options on the menu. Even worse, it packs 136 grams of fat, of which more than half come from saturated sources. This amount of fat is enough for more than two days for many people, and the amount of sodium is more than the recommended amount for an entire day. Skip this dish or split it amongst several people to avoid the calorie coma.

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Worst: Filet & Shrimp Pasta Toscana

At over 2,200 calories, the Shrimp & Filet Pasta Toscana has the highest calorie count on the pasta menu, and it also boasts the highest sodium count. The 4,800 milligrams of sodium in this dish are enough for two days' worth, and the 78 grams of protein are enough for at least two meals. Trade this dish for a lower-calorie option.

Specialties & Trios

Best: Tuscan Grilled Chicken

Look no further if you are looking for a low-carb, high-protein meal. Grilled chicken topped with seasonings and herbs makes Tuscan Grilled Chicken a simple dish, and you can also customize the sides depending on your goals. Stick with soup and salad for low-calorie options, or enjoy a cooked veggie side for a low-carb meal.

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Worst: Carrabba's Italian Classic

The Carrabba's Italian Classic combines chicken parmesan, lasagne, and fettuccine alfredo for a meal over 1,600 calories. This doesn't even include the side soup or salad that it comes with, pushing this meal closer to 2,000 calories. Unless you plan to share this meal among a few people, skip it in favor of a leaner option that provides more vegetables.

Seafood

Best: Mahi Wulfe

In general, fish in a lean protein option at a restaurant. Although the Mahi Wulfe is lightly breaded, it is still lower in fat than any other fish dish. Pair with vegetables to boost fiber while keeping the carbohydrate count low. Another good fish option on the Carrabba's menu is the Simply Grilled Salmon which comes in at 540 calories.

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Worst: Salmon Capperi

Although the Salmon Capperi starts with a simple grilled salmon, the lemon butter sauce added while cooking significantly increases calories and fat grams. You can ask to skip the butter for a lighter option, but you may still be better off with the mahi dish or the grilled salmon.

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Steaks & Chops

Best: Tuscan Grilled Sirloin—7 oz.

Red meat tends to have a higher fat and saturated fat content than poultry and fish, but the Tuscan-Grilled Sirloin is a decent option. With only 19 grams of fat, it is the lowest fat option in this category. To keep it lean, skip the sauces that can nearly double the fat content in your meal.

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Worst: Tuscan Grilled Ribeye—16 oz.

Of all the cuts of beef available, ribeye tends to be one of the fattier options. This holds true for this Tuscan Grilled Ribeye. It is 16 ounces, so you can split it and still end up with a hearty portion for half the calories. Combined with veggie sides, you can turn this high-fat meal into something more reasonable.

Sides

Best: Grilled Asparagus

At only 45 calories, the Grilled Asparagus has the fewest calories by far and is the healthiest side on the Carrabba's menu. Order the side broccoli for another decent veggie option at 140 calories with 11 grams of fat. The low-fat content of the asparagus allows you to enjoy your main dish while keeping calories and fat grams in your meal more reasonable.

Worst: Fettucine Alfredo

At over 800 calories, the Fettuccini Alfredo provides enough calories for two meals. Add this to protein and veggies, and you easily have a meal well over 1,000 calories. Save yourself a day's worth of fat and skip this dish.

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Desserts

Best: John Cole

Although the John Cole dessert is considered the "best" dessert option, it still provides a meal's worth of calories and two days' worth of sugar. It may be the lowest calorie option and have the second lowest sugar content, but you should still eat this sparingly and split it amongst several people to avoid the sugar rush.

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Worst: Songo Di Cioccolata

Translated to "chocolate dream," the Sogno Di Cioccolata has the highest sugar content and most calories on the sweets menu. Unless you are willing to split this amongst 8-10 people, go ahead and skip it. Instead, enjoy a coffee drink in place of a traditional dessert to round out your meal for far fewer calories.